Antique Nine Eye Dzi, 55.0×12.7mm, very deep dark brown agate, 300–500 years (At-071126-9E7)

🌿 Ethically sourced. Unretouched photos. What you see is what you receive.

On this bead the motif lines have not warmed — they are still a bright, cool cream-white across every face, which tells you something different about this bead's history than warm-toned lines would.

Both pieces are antique Tibetan nine eye dzi of the same period and crafting tradition. But where patinated motif lines carry the visible record of handling, smoke, and absorbed environment, bright lines like these — still close to their original etched colour after three to five centuries — suggest a different kind of keeping. Protected storage, less daily handling, or conditions that preserved the etched surface without allowing the typical warmth to accumulate. Neither is better. They are different documents of the same age.

The ground on this bead is very deep dark brown, darker in character than its companion piece At-071126-9E7 — in some angles approaching what photographs as pitch-black, though warm brown undertones remain visible at the end zones. The nine eyes are distributed in two rows connected by stepped S-curve lines, the cream-white rings enclosing warm brown pupils. The connector lines are bold and clear throughout all three face views in images 1, 2, and 3. On each face, the S-curve steps differently — the line turns at a slightly different point depending on where the bead's circumference carried it.

The surface texture of the dark ground zones is visibly aged — a fine micro-pitting across the etched areas that photographs as a slightly granular quality in all three face images. This is the natural result of the agate's surface settling over centuries, and it reads most clearly in images 2 and 3 where the lighting catches the texture directly. No damage is present. The micro-texture is uniformly distributed, not concentrated at any point of wear or impact.

The two end caps are not identical. The end visible in image 5 is a slightly warmer, more orange-honey tone; the end in image 4 is a cooler honey-cream. Both carry small, clean, centred drill holes. The asymmetry between them is a natural property of the original agate stone and is visible clearly when both end images are compared side by side.

At 55.0×12.7mm, this bead is essentially identical in dimension to At-071126-9E6 at 54.8×12.6mm. The two are close enough to be worn together on the same strand without visible size disparity.

The Nine Eye Motif

The nine eye dzi (九眼天珠) is the most sought-after count in the Tibetan bead tradition. Nine represents completion — the highest single-digit number, associated with the accumulation of merit, protection across all directions, and good fortune across all aspects of life. An antique nine eye dzi in intact condition, with readable motif lines and both end caps preserved, represents the full expression of the motif as it has been understood and sought for generations across Tibet, Nepal, and the broader Himalayan world.

Spec Block

Motif: Nine Eye — stepped S-curve connectors; eyes in two rows; bright cool cream-white rings; warm brown pupils; no patina discolouration on motif lines
Length: 55.0mm
Diameter: 12.7mm
Form: Barrel, standard fusiform
Material: Agate — very deep dark brown ground, warm honey-cream and orange-honey end caps (asymmetric)
Age Estimate: 300–500 years
Condition: Good. Age-consistent micro-texture visible on ground surface across all three face images — positive age indicator, not damage. No cracks or chips.
Bloodspots: None
Product ID: At-071126-9E7
Collection: Antique Dzi · All Products

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Other Nine Eye Dzi in Collection

Ancient (500+ years)

Ancient Nine Eye dzi represent the pinnacle of the tradition—beads that have survived centuries of continuous wear and handling while maintaining intact form and readable motif lines.

• Nine Eye Dzi Bead, 53.8×12.5mm, Dark Brown Agate, 500–800 Years (Ac-091626-9E) — $8,000.00
• Nine Eye Motif, 54.0×14.5mm, cream-white agate, 800 years (Ac-070926-9E) — $12,000.00

Antique (300–500 years)

Antique nine eye dzi from this period show full maturity of the etching tradition, with clear motif lines and warm or patinated surfaces that document centuries of use and environmental exposure.

• Antique Nine Eye Dzi, 54.8×12.6mm, very dark brown agate, 300–500 years (At-071126-9E6) — $1,700.00
• Antique Nine Eye Dzi, 57.6×12.7mm, dark brown agate, asymmetric tapered form (At-071126-9E8) — $1,700.00
• Nine Eye Dzi Bead, 60.6×12.9mm, Dark Brown & Honey-Toned Agate, 300–500 Years (At-082326-9E) — $1,700.00
• Nine Eye Motif, 59.8×13.7mm, very dark brown agate, 300–500 years (At-070826-9E) — $3,500.00
• Nine Eye Motif, 77.0×12.8mm, deep dark brown agate with bloodspots (At-062926-9EBS) — $5,800.00

Antique (200–400 years)

Nine eye dzi from this range show the full diversity of the motif—varied ground colours, etching styles, and surface patination across the tradition's mature period.

• Nine Eye Dzi Bead, 54.2×12.4mm, Dark Brown Agate, Medicine Dig Disclosed (At-091626-9E2) — $800.00
• Nine Eye Motif Dzi, 53.3×12.3mm, Deep Dark Brown Agate (At-070626-9E) — $800.00
• Nine Eye Motif Dzi, 39.7×13.8mm, Pitch-Black & Brown Agate (At-070626-9E2) — $1,200.00
• Antique Nine Eye Dzi Bead, 59.0mm × 13.2mm, Amber Motif on Dark Agate (At-012325-9E4) — $700.00

New & Vintage

Contemporary and vintage Taiwan nine eye interpretations offer accessibility to the nine eye motif at different price points, though without the historical depth or surface documentation of antique originals.

• New Nine Eye Motif Dzi Bead, 57.7 × 12.9mm, deep cool dark grey-black agate fusiform (N-062226-9E) — $200.00
• New Nine Eye Motif Dzi Bead, 58.6 × 12.9mm, medium-dark warm brown agate, matte finish (N-062226-9E3) — $200.00
• Nine Eye Motif Dzi Bead, 58.2×13.2mm, Two-Tone Brown Agate (N-102123-9E) — $200.00

Further reading: How to Tell Real vs. Fake Dzi Beads · Tibetan Dzi Beads for Luck & Fortune

Every bead at Ancient Dzi Shop is photographed without filters or retouching. What you see is what you receive.

🌿 Ethically sourced. Unretouched photos. What you see is what you receive.

Photo line: All 5 photographs are unretouched. Images 1–3 show three faces of the bead. Images 4 and 5 show the two drill-hole end caps, with the asymmetry in end cap tone visible between them.